Import motorcycle

[Nick47]

Can import my motorcycle from Hong Kong to Thailand?

[Don Mega]

No.

[Kwasaki]

You can but the cost and aggro isn't worth it I tried every which way, best to sell it.

[Don Mega]

9 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

You can but the cost and aggro isn't worth it I tried every which way, best to sell it.

 

When did they allow bike imports again ?

[Kwasaki]

Dunno when or if Thailand stopped them but some still come in from Japan l believe.

 

When I enquired about bringing my Blade from UK it cost too much, many moons ago though. 

[Don Mega]

was about  2 years ago they stopped all bike imports.

[Kwasaki]

21 minutes ago, Don Mega said:

was about  2 years ago they stopped all bike imports.

 

Don't understand there's a trade agreement with Japan over imports, Honda big bikes are coming down in price from what l've read on " Motorcycles in Thailand " forum last year l think.

[Don Mega]

Just now, Kwasaki said:

 

Don't understand there's a trade agreement with Japan over imports, Honda big bikes are coming down in price from what l've read on " Motorcycles in Thailand " forum last year l think.

My bad .I thought we was talking private imports per the OP's question.

[Kwasaki]

16 minutes ago, Don Mega said:

My bad .I thought we was talking private imports per the OP's question.

 

No not at all l had no idea it was stopped so your right, it was 10 years ago when l wanted to private import.

OP is vague with question cause he don't say whether he wants to bring the bike in and then take it back which you can do l believe

[Don Mega]

Just now, Kwasaki said:

 

No not at all l had no idea it was stopped so your right, it was 10 years ago when l wanted to private import.

OP is vague with question cause he don't say whether he wants to bring the bike in and then take it back which you can do l believe

I agree. a temp import is doable.

[Nick47]

I want to bring the bike here permanently. Will need to be legal.

[CharlieH]

More suited to the MOTORCYCLE FORUM

 

 

MOVED

[gregk0543]

70% import duty.  So if you want to pay that it can by done. Look at all the bikes in Thailand and the list price and if it is imported it costs 70% more than in most other countries. If you are prepared to pay at least that. +costs. So you are looking at 100% value of bike as import costs. What bike do you have?

[Don Mega]

6 minutes ago, gregk0543 said:

70% import duty.  So if you want to pay that it can by done. Look at all the bikes in Thailand and the list price and if it is imported it costs 70% more than in most other countries. If you are prepared to pay at least that. +costs. So you are looking at 100% value of bike as import costs. What bike do you have?

 

 

so it is confirmed  a private import can be now done, good news.

 

do you have a link of anything to say the no import rule has been lifted.

[gregk0543]

I am not sure if is it allowable on private import but this is the scale of duties on imported motorcycles. Luxury cars are 200%.

Thats why people go to great lengths to cheat the system.  Bring then in illegally declare them. Have pulled the ECU and some other parts (so no one else will buy them) and then buy them back at the govt auction. Might save yourself  some of that 200% duties. Cares like porsches can cost over $400000 in Thailand. When you see some of those flashy imports think about that.

 

I think it is about 40% on spare parts too.

 

I will check around and see what else can be found out. In Myanmar I import from Thailand and is only 10% duties.

But you have to check rules for Thailand sometimes can only import new and not used etc....

 

http://www.customs.go.th/wps/wcm/connect/custen/individuals/importing+personal+vehicle/importingpersonalvehicle+

 

All information is here. You will need to have an import license before shipping if bike is used.

You also need to be aware that the import duty is on CIF price. Which includes your shipping costs. To 70% of CIF = value of bike + the shipping costs.

 

 

 

[Don Mega]

ok so no confirmation import ban has been lifted, thought as much.

[onthemoon]

Gregk posted the relevant link. Permanent import of second-hand vehicles (this includes motorbikes) for personal use is possible if you have an import licence from the Ministry of Commerce. The problem is that I don't know of anybody who succeeded in getting one.

 

Import of brand-new vehicles for personal use does not require this licence.

 

However, a permit from the Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI) might be required.

[Richard-BKK]

Nothing has changed, used motorcycles are still banned from import, while it seems that they have relaxed a little bit on classic motorcycles (Bikes people collect)… but getting an import permit for one is still a pain in the ass and that is putting it mildly…

 

For the average person, without a specialist customs broker company it would be impossible to get a import permit for a classic motorcycle, for a regular used motorcycle you can just forget ever getting a permit.

 

Getting an import permit for a classic vehicle doesn’t mean that it will be road legal, that is all up to the Department of Road Transport… but anything classified as “classic” is made before ‘80s and will very likely never pass the Thai emission and road safety laws and rules.

 

With a classic import permit you can get a temporary license (plates) for classic car or motorcycle events… But they’re valid for maximum 2 weeks I believe… and only apply to the same province (and again not easy to get…).

[Richard-BKK]

22 minutes ago, onthemoon said:

Gregk posted the relevant link. Permanent import of second-hand vehicles (this includes motorbikes) for personal use is possible if you have an import licence from the Ministry of Commerce. The problem is that I don't know of anybody who succeeded in getting one.

 

Import of brand-new vehicles for personal use does not require this licence.

 

However, a permit from the Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI) might be required.

To get a permit from the Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI), would involve that you provide specifications from the manufacturer that the used motorcycle is compliant with the latest (2016) rules of road safety and exhaust and environmental standards.

 

Just as example, how difficult this will be, if you buy today a brand new BMW 1200 GS in Germany, and register it and try to get a import permit it will be denied as your used (1 day) motorcycle is not compliant to the Thai standards. The same model is sold in Thailand, but in Thailand the BMW motorcycles have a modified fuel map which makes them compliant with the rules and laws.

 

BMW Thailand will not assist you in anyway to help you get a foreign motorcycle into Thailand, with the exception if you're doing some sponsored event on your motorcycle in Thailand.

[Don Mega]

so what your saying richard-BKK it is  nigh on impossible to do a private import of a second hand motorcycle.

 

thanks for the conformation.

[zd1]

After doing quite a bit of research on this I had a hornet 900 which I have owned and loved for over 12 years and wanted to bring it with us when we move to Thailand.

Unfortunately at present in Thailand it seems impossible to bring it over, it would cost 3-4 times what the bike is worth and you would have to jump through many hoops and even if you did manage to get it over it would probably not be road legal.

I even thought about bringing it over in bits and reassembling it but doing this would still mean that the bike wouldn't be road legal.

In the end I had to sell my bike it was painful as we had had a lot of good times together.

I would be interested to buy another Honda hornet 900 (Honda 919 to our American friends) as I think it is a great bike, but I haven't seen any for sale on baht sold or craigslist, I have seen some gixser 1000's which I also like and have owned previously so maybe a compromise.

[gregk0543]

Wow I never realised it was that hard in Thailand just thought it was a matter of cost. Thanks all for the information.

[Nick47]

Ok Thanks guys it's a Yamaha T Max I'll sell it i Hong Kong

[gregk0543]

Welcome to the world of globalisation and the ASEAN free trade zone where each country has lots of protections varying across all sectors. I wonder what the plan is? If any leaks happen people will be quick to take advantage. They just are charging too high a duty and restricting too much.

[thaiguzzi]

20 hours ago, Richard-BKK said:

Nothing has changed, used motorcycles are still banned from import, while it seems that they have relaxed a little bit on classic motorcycles (Bikes people collect)… but getting an import permit for one is still a pain in the ass and that is putting it mildly…

 

For the average person, without a specialist customs broker company it would be impossible to get a import permit for a classic motorcycle, for a regular used motorcycle you can just forget ever getting a permit.

 

Getting an import permit for a classic vehicle doesn’t mean that it will be road legal, that is all up to the Department of Road Transport… but anything classified as “classic” is made before ‘80s and will very likely never pass the Thai emission and road safety laws and rules.

 

With a classic import permit you can get a temporary license (plates) for classic car or motorcycle events… But they’re valid for maximum 2 weeks I believe… and only apply to the same province (and again not easy to get…).

 

Richard, off topic,

 been meaning to mention many a time, - great avatar...

[Richard-BKK]

1 hour ago, thaiguzzi said:

 

Richard, off topic,

 been meaning to mention many a time, - great avatar...

 

Yes, I find it also a very nice avatar.... :)

[Richard-BKK]

For anybody in Thailand thinking about buying a Yamaha T-Max 530 but is shocked about the price of 530,000 THB, take a look at the Sym Maxsym 600i ABS which cost 190,000 THB... you can even buy an additional 300cc sportsbike from Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha and still be better of than buying a Yamaha T-Max 530

 

http://www.sym-thailand.co.th/product/maxsym-600i/

[seedy]

Bickering Posts Removed. Both parties have been Warned before. Continue and you are well aware of the outcome. Up 2 U.

Forum Rule -

9. Please do not respond to insults with more insults but rather use the report button to report inflammatory posts.

 

 

 

 

[M1Tanker]

I recently completed the permanent importation of my motorcycle (2008 BMW R1200GS Adventure) into Thailand.  I also obtained the green registration book and Thai license plate.  The process was long and required a lot of paperwork.

 

Here are some recommended questions to answer prior to starting an attempt to import a motorcycle into Thailand:
Are you trying to permanently import your motorcycle?
What kind of visa will you be coming to Thailand on?
How well documented is your motorcycle? All original sales documentation? All registration documents? Motorcycle driver's licenses to include expired and international drivers licenses?

 

There are two Thai government agencies that one needs to interact with in order to permanently import a motorcycle into Thailand:

1. Department of Foreign Trade within the Ministry of Commerce (NOTE: An import license must be obtained as well as an import permit for the motorcycle.)

2. Customs Department (http://www.customs.go.th/wps/wcm/connect/custen/individuals/importing+personal+vehicle/importingpersonalvehicle+)

3. (NOTE: I did contact the Thai Industrial Standards Institute and they informed me that because I was importing a used/second hand motorcycle they did not play a role in the importation process.)

 

I did have to pay import duties and the motorcycle was depreciated in accordance with the formula that can be found in the Thai Customs link above.  The cost wasn't zero baht but it was considerably less than a new or used equivalent BMW.

 

Once I completed the importation, I then took that paperwork to my local Department of Transport.  I filled out more paperwork and paid a small processing fee.  Weeks later I received my green registration book and license plate.

 

AlI personnel that I interacted with at all of the aforementioned Thai government agencies were professional and ethical.  I will point out that many of the personnel in these offices are not completely familiar with permanently importing a motorcycle because they just don't see it happen that often. Patience, thoroughness, and professional determination are required.  I found that researching the process online, asking a lot of questions, and communicating with each office in person or online to be effective.  I started the process over a year prior to shipping my motorcycle.

[MikeyIdea]

On 03/10/2016 at 9:26 AM, M1Tanker said:

AlI personnel that I interacted with at all of the aforementioned Thai government agencies were professional and ethical.  I will point out that many of the personnel in these offices are not completely familiar with permanently importing a motorcycle because they just don't see it happen that often. Patience, thoroughness, and professional determination are required.  I found that researching the process online, asking a lot of questions, and communicating with each office in person or online to be effective.  I started the process over a year prior to shipping my motorcycle.

 

Thank you very much for an excellent post. I especially like that you took the time to post the last paragraph